I'm a Year 12 student and all this time I was planning to pick a Physics university course when I apply next year, but I've had a think and completely changed my plans. Now I'm not so sure what I'm doing - I might still go for Physics, but I'm much more excited about a course in Film Production/animation or something of that sort.

I take Physics, Maths, Further Maths and French.

What I wanted to know is whether I'll need anything specific to apply to a more creative course like Film Production or maybe even Product Design/Graphic Design? I didn't take Art even for GCSE, but not because I'm not capable. Would I need a portfolio or anything like that? And do these universities interview candidates?

One more thing: I was considering doing both Physics and an artistic/creative media degree, if there was a way of doing it. Any ideas? Maybe I could do the two at once, but one of them part-time? Is that possible?

I'm a mature student, who self taught video production before I went back to college to study it. Now i've applied to uni to study film/media. I don't ever remember seeing combined modules of physics and media. Your best bet is to look at the combined modules offered at unis you want to go to, or look on UCAS. The interviews I had, I had to bring a portfolio or a piece of work I had completed. I brought film, others brought art work or media work...but yes they do ask for examples of your work and evidence of how dedicated you are and what level you are within media. Why don't you explore doing a HNC in media? therefore you'd get 1 year of a lot of practical work. So if you then go on to study it at uni, you have work to show, if after that year you feel that media isn't for you, you can go back to your original idea of just studying physics

(Original post by BexiG)
I'm a mature student, who self taught video production before I went back to college to study it. Now i've applied to uni to study film/media. I don't ever remember seeing combined modules of physics and media. Your best bet is to look at the combined modules offered at unis you want to go to, or look on UCAS. The interviews I had, I had to bring a portfolio or a piece of work I had completed. I brought film, others brought art work or media work...but yes they do ask for examples of your work and evidence of how dedicated you are and what level you are within media. Why don't you explore doing a HNC in media? therefore you'd get 1 year of a lot of practical work. So if you then go on to study it at uni, you have work to show, if after that year you feel that media isn't for you, you can go back to your original idea of just studying physics

Thanks; that's an interesting idea I sure will consider.

Well, the difficulty I'm facing is first of all letting all the people around me know that instead of Physics, I'll be studying something that's considered less intellectual.

And another issue is that I just don't want to go into media and then have to go back to Physics after not having done it for a while. Physics in universities is quite competitive, so I don't want to lose the chance I've got now. Thus I'm not too sure about what to do.

But I'll explore your option, definitely. Actually, I want to live in London, and I was researching universities/colleges/academies that offer courses in media and I came across the Met. Film School where they offer a one-year intensive course in Practical Filmmaking, where at the end of it, you can choose to continue to the second year, and at the end of the second year you will come out with a BA in Practical Filmmaking.. So maybe...

I was considering possibly completing the BSc in Physics, because I know I enjoy it and it would be a good base (since with a BSc in Physics you can go on to do almost anything), and maybe during the course complete a few short courses in media and tech to get the hang of it and possibly complete a couple of my own projects, and then go on to apply to the BSc in Filmmaking? The hopeful thought I live with is that you don't really need an actual official degree to go and work on television and such.

You don't need a degree to work in media but just like physics it is highly competitive...just to be a runner they are requiring qualifications such as a degree. I think many people are misguided now a days believing that a media degree is easy. It's quite easy to learn how to use a camera, how to edit or how to light a set, but to become creative is something that takes time to develop, and comes from within. So if you want to be a camera-person then do your physics degree and then do some side workshops or course that will teach you the skills you want etc. If you have been creative from day one...if you remember creating stop-motion animation as a child, or creating short films on your computer growing up...if you continually write down films, ideas and concepts (a few examples of myself) << if you've done things like this in your life without even noticing and it comes naturally, then perhaps your supposed to do film making...but only you'll know.

(Original post by BexiG)
You don't need a degree to work in media but just like physics it is highly competitive...just to be a runner they are requiring qualifications such as a degree. I think many people are misguided now a days believing that a media degree is easy. It's quite easy to learn how to use a camera, how to edit or how to light a set, but to become creative is something that takes time to develop, and comes from within. So if you want to be a camera-person then do your physics degree and then do some side workshops or course that will teach you the skills you want etc. If you have been creative from day one...if you remember creating stop-motion animation as a child, or creating short films on your computer growing up...if you continually write down films, ideas and concepts (a few examples of myself) << if you've done things like this in your life without even noticing and it comes naturally, then perhaps your supposed to do film making...but only you'll know.

Thanks, really. That's a fantastic way of putting it and I will really have a think about it now. Thank you for the advice.